Connection
by Flames101
Summary: PostEp:JJ. When JJ is forced to leave the BAU, leaving her family isn't all she can think about. She hopes that the move won't also force her to leave the man she's come to care about. But when all he offers her is a mere, cold handshake, what can she do? She decides to take matters into her own hands, that's what. JJ/Hotch. M rating for chapter 2.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey all! Here's a new story for you guys. It's about JJ and Hotch (of course) and it takes place during the episode JJ from season 6. The idea is from Fanatical Writer who wanted to see this written but didn't have the time. So, I just wanted to thank her for letting me adopt the idea, hope it's what you had in mind. This should be a two-shot, maybe a three-shot, and it will become rated M in the next chapter.

With all that said, on with the show. Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Criminal Minds.

**Chapter 1:**

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><p>JJ knew it was coming. It was inevitable. So, after taking down the crime scene photos and information set up in the conference room she wasn't surprised to hear his footsteps from behind her.<p>

"When do I leave?" she asked resignedly.

She knew she had to leave the team, leave him. That battle was over before it'd even begun. For now, she'd put all her energy into not breaking down over the thought of not being close to him every day. Later, she'd focus herself and redirect that energy into fighting to come back. That war was ongoing.

"The end of the week," she heard his regretful voice say.

Shock overwhelmed her as she turned around to see that his expression matched his tone. "What?"

"They wanted you to start tomorrow," he informed her.

She continued to stare at him incredulously. _Was it her imagination or was he avoiding eye contact?_

"No, I… I can't… I need to train someone," she stuttered out, grasping at anything to extend her connection to this man in front of her.

They'd become close. Close enough for her to break up with Will a month before. Nothing had happened between her and Hotch, per se, but her feelings, alone, for the stoic man had been enough for her to re-think and eventually end her relationship with the father of her child. But in her mind she'd always believed the attraction went both ways.

"I'm not replacing you," he said, voice sad, eyes still not meeting hers.

She so wished he'd look her in the eye. As it were, she had no idea where they stood. JJ was afraid that this might be their moment of no return.

"No, Hotch," she protested, as he started to close the distance between them. She shook her head. "You can't take this on yourself. Your hands are full."

"We'll figure it out," he assured, stopping three feet away from her. Three feet too far, in her opinion. "I'm hoping I can get you back."

And there it was, a brief moment of eye contact, of connection. The words were comforting alone, but to see them reflected back in his eyes was heart-warming. To know that he hoped to have her by his side once again, well…

And then the distance was back. "Strauss wanted you to fill this out."

He handed her a sheaf of papers, paper clipped together. She looked at them in shock. "Exit… interview? Are you kidding me?" she asked in annoyance, but not with him, with Strauss.

"She's big on procedure," he said, eyes still downcast.

Words were failing her. Her heart was breaking. Why couldn't _they_ see they were breaking their family up? Why couldn't _they_ see they were breaking _them_ up?

"Just be honest," he attempted to give her advice, but she could tell he was struggling to say something to give her some measure of comfort. She could see this was hard on him too. "I was hoping I could do something about this…"

She gave him a sympathetic look. She hated this. She could tell he felt horrible. He so did not need this. He did not need one more thing to worry and stress over. She wished she could take this away if only for the reason of his peace of mind. All she wanted to do was make him happy. And now, inadvertently, she was doing the complete opposite.

"… and I'm sorry I couldn't."

"I know," was all she could think of to say.

A moment of silence passed between them. They glanced into each other's eyes, unsaid words passing between them. Admiration. Friendship. Regret. Each of them looked away when the moment seemed to intensify and the feelings threatened to overwhelm. But, oh how JJ wanted him to know how much she wanted him, how much she craved him…

She looked out the window, spotting her friends down in the bull-pen. The thought of telling them, stilled her rapidly beating heart.

"How am I supposed to tell them I'm leaving when I don't want to go?"

"The brass is really, really good at taking power away. Makes them feel like they're in charge."

She looked up at him, giving him an ironic, small smile. "That sounds like a profile."

He returned her look with a brief, tiny smile of his own. "You're going to be much better off than any of us, you know that," he tried to placate.

She appreciated the attempt. But it was his next words that melted her heart.

"I'll miss you," he finished, though the thin line of is lips that formed told her that maybe that's not all he wanted to say.

_Say more, say more, say more,_ she chanted in her mind.

But when he reached across the distance only to offer her an impersonal handshake she was sorely disappointed.

She watched his retreating back, heart breaking, moment passed.

* * *

><p>Hotch opened his fridge, looking for a bottle of beer. God, he just needed to forget the past 48 hours. He needed to forget how awful it felt to find out that someone else wanted JJ. He needed to forget how powerless he was to stop her being taken away. And he definitely needed to forget their last encounter and how it felt too much like a good-bye for his comfort.<p>

He grabbed his beer and made his way through the small, empty house he'd recently bought. He'd bought it at Jessica's insistence that an apartment building was no place to raise a little boy.

Jack was currently at Jessica's, having a sleepover with his cousins. As he sat down in his living room, he was glad Jack wasn't around to witness the mood he was in. All he wanted to do was drink his beer and sulk over the fact that today may have been the last time he'd ever work with JJ. That today may have been his last chance to make that connection he'd felt with her an actual reality.

He'd been feeling something for her for a while now. He thought after she'd shared what had happened to her sister and how things would get better for him after Hailey had died that it was just camaraderie. But as the days went by and they continued to work closely, side by side, he knew it was more than just friendship he felt for the pretty blonde. JJ, he was finding out, was something special.

In any case, though she hadn't told him, he was quite aware of the fact that she'd ended things with Will. His heart told him he now had his chance, that she'd created this chance for the two of them. But his brain was the stubborn one. Always listing the possibilities of why his heart was wrong. In the end his brain won when it asked his heart one question: Do you really want to get hurt again?

And that's what his inaction really came down to: fear. Fear that she would reject him. Fear that she would accept him. Fear that he'd build something with her and that it would all be taken away from him again, one way or another. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to live with himself, if he ever had her and then lost her. It was just easier to pretend not to see the bond they'd formed. So, he'd let it go for now, but he would still fight to get her back on the team, because one thing that was for certain was that she was a part of that family. She just wouldn't be a part of _his_ family.

He let out a troubled sigh. Reaching for the remote, he was ready for a few hours of mindless television. But just as he grabbed the remote the doorbell rang.

Hotch looked out his front window. It was pouring rain. _Who could be out in this?_ he thought to himself. He considered not getting it. Sure that if it was important they would have called first. But when instead of the door ringing again he heard a fist pounding on the door, followed by his name being called by an unmistakable voice, he quickly got up to answer it.

The door swung open and there, on his doorstep, was a very soaked looking JJ.

Her hair hung in thick wet strands, some plastered to her face with the damp. Her thick eyelashes, framing her azure eyes, had tiny water droplets that sparkled in the remaining rays of daylight. Her lips, parted slightly, were the reddest he'd ever seen them. She was breathing hard, as if she'd run all the way over. His eyes skimmed the rest of her, a white button up, collared shirt clung to her curves in an indecent manner. He tried to look away from where the shirt clung to the curves of her breasts, as they rose and fell with every pant of her breath. Her black pants also clung to her. Hotch concluded that maybe she had run all the way in the rain.

His eyes shot up to hers when she began to speak.

"A handshake, Hotch," she said incredulously. "I work with you for six years and all you can give me is a handshake?"

He could hear the hurt in her voice, the pain at his forced distance. He had never wanted to hurt her; he'd thought he'd avoided it by not saying or doing more. It seemed that he'd been wrong.

"JJ," he replied, voice soft. "We were at work. Anything else… it would have been inappropriate…"

His eyes dropped from her sad, accusing blue eyes only to land on that damned shirt, molded to her chest.

There was a moment of long silence. He was sure she was about to turn around and walk right out of his life forever.

"Well…" she trailed off, voice husky sounding, with a hint of amusement.

He looked up, she wasn't smiling, but that hint of amusement twinkled in her eyes. He realized that she must have caught him staring at her chest. Embarrassed, he wanted to apologize, but the next thing he knew she was stepping towards him. Hotch took a step back, hoping to keep that distance between them, not sure what would happen if it were to disappear.

When her hands reached up to press against his chest, his heart began to race.

"JJ," he croaked out, "What are you doing?"

Her hands still on his chest, moving in small circles now, she took another step towards him. This time he didn't move; he was frozen in place, not sure what was going to happen next.

When she leaned up on her toe to come close to meeting his gaze head on, he could see directly into those eyes. And those eyes told him exactly what she was doing even before she said her next words.

"… We're not at work, right now…"

And then she was kissing him, and everything seemed to melt away. All there was, all he knew was JJ.

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><p>I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. And I hope you all will tell me what you think, reviews are greatly appreciated.<p>

Just wanted to say thanks again to **Fanatical Writer** for the use of her great idea, hope it's what you expected.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Ok, hello all. Here's my second chapter of Connection. It's pretty much all M-rated. I really struggled with writing this chapter, not sure why. But, I hope you'll enjoy it. Again it is M-rated.

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Criminal Minds.

**Chapter 2: **

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><p>JJ was kissing him. That's all he could think about, all he could feel. She was on his doorstep one minute, looking just indecent enough, and then the next minute she was pressed against his body moving her lips over his in a sensual kiss.<p>

He had no idea how their goodbye from this afternoon had led to this exact moment. But, he did know that all his dreams seemed to be coming true and that he wasn't about to waste this chance he'd been given.

Hotch's arms went around her body pulling her even closer, if possible. She was molded to him, as if her petite frame was made exactly to fit against his own. Her thin, wet layer of clothing that separated his hands from her skin did not leave much to his imagination.

He let out a groan when JJ's leg managed to get between his to rub up against him—she meant business that was for sure. Her pleased moan told him that that had been no accident. It also told him that they had to move this inside and fast.

Somehow, he managed to maneuver them inside, closing the door behind them without breaking contact. He began to slowly lead them backwards until they hit a wall; unfazed by the obstacle he took the moment to press kisses across her jaw, down her neck, down to the skin left uncovered by the v-opening of her button-up shirt.

His hands left her hips to come up, un-buttoning those few buttons. Her shirt fell off her shoulders to the floor and his hands splayed against the flesh he'd uncovered, each hand caressing the supple skin at her waist.

He leaned back, breaking their kiss, but not body contact. He needed to know that this was what she wanted, that this was what she came here for, a connection with him. JJ was lost in the moment, her eyes fluttering open at the loss of his kisses. The fire burning in the blue depths of her eyes told him that this was precisely what she'd come here for. His breath hitched at the intensity with which she'd wanted this. And he realized that this moment was a long time coming.

"JJ…" he breathed out, not sure exactly what he wanted to say, what he should say. A thousand things came to mind, but nothing seemed even close to being good enough.

She gave him a small smile. The hand that had been clutching at his bicep so fiercely came up to press a finger against his lips. She was right, for the moment, words weren't needed.

Her finger traced across his lips in a tantalizing manner. Hotch grabbed that same hand and placed a kiss to its palm. He enjoyed watching her shiver in anticipation.

Hotch entwined his fingers with hers and leaned forward to place a series of kisses to each cheek, her forehead and then the corner of her mouth. She tasted like strawberries and honey, to delicious to resist. He didn't think he'd ever get enough of kissing her. The question of why weren't they doing this earlier, like 6 years ago earlier, came to his hazy mind. He couldn't even think of how many kisses they possibly missed out on.

_Time to make up for lost moments_, he thought determinedly.

He leaned back just out of her reach just as she was about to capture his lips in what he knew would be a searing, mind-blowing kiss.

JJ's eyes fluttered open once again, this time to give him the cutest pout. He couldn't resist a quick kiss to those pouty lips before he let out a deep, throaty chuckle. He wanted to take his time with her. He wanted the night, whatever it happened to be, to be a special one. Looking deep into her eyes, he hoped the wordless look would convey that to her.

When her face relaxed into that smile again, he pulled on their entwined hands and led them further into the one-story house. Finally, they stopped in front of a closed door. His bedroom. He paused to look at JJ, waiting on her to make the next move.

He was staring at her profile, marveling at her outer beauty that so matched her inner exquisiteness, as she stared at the door. For a minute, he thought that she might turn and flee. But then she was the one reaching for the door handle, turning it, and pushing the door wide open.

Without hesitation, she pulled him through and he eagerly followed. Hotch still couldn't really believe this was happening.

* * *

><p>JJ couldn't believe she'd actually done it. That she actually had the nerve to march over through the rain and demand that he give her a proper goodbye. But she'd done it. She was here and she was now, much to her surprise, brazenly pulling Hotch into his bedroom.<p>

She had been sitting at home, all alone, pondering how this all came on so suddenly, pondering how she was being forced to leave the people she cared about. Wondering how she could face each day without seeing his face. When it suddenly hit her: she didn't have to settle for anything. She could have what she wanted, if she tried.

JJ turned around to take in the décor of his bedroom. She giggled out loud at the typical-ness of his room, all dark colors and straight, sleek edges, not a floral print in sight. When her gaze landed on the bed in the middle of the room, her breath hitched. A thousand images raced through her mind in one little second, each one more breathtaking than the last.

_Oh wow,_ she thought. _This is happening…_

She took a moment to take a deep breath. That's when she felt his hands come to land on her shoulders. JJ turned around in his embrace to look up into his soulful, dark eyes. They burned straight through her and she realized that this was what he wanted too.

JJ wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on her tip-toes and kissed him like there was no tomorrow. He returned the kiss with as much gusto as she gave. She felt his hands move off her shoulders to trail down her sides to her hips pulling her closer to him. If she had any doubts before they were gone now at the feel of him pressed against her inner thigh. She shifted a little, rubbing her leg against him. She was rewarded with a pleasure filled groan that sent tingles up her spine.

Somehow, she found herself sitting on the edge of the bed, Hotch kneeling in front of her, mouth still moving against hers, tongue entwined with her own. JJ had imagined kissing Hotch on many occasions, but having the real thing was so much better.

JJ moved her hands to his chest, only just realizing that Hotch wasn't clad in his trademark, button-up shirt, but a sweatshirt instead.

_Too thick_, her brain shouted at him; she pushed up the edges of his shirt and her hands made contact with the warm skin of his abdomen. She splayed her hands against the taut skin that could only come from a strict regimen at the gym.

She let her thumbs rub slow circles into his skin and when her hands moved upwards she felt the first, of many, raised scars. She felt Hotch begin to pull away. She let him, but only so that she could look him in the eye.

She looked up into his face, the face that she never wanted to go a day without seeing. He looked hesitant, wary. She grabbed hold of the hem, eager to reassure him, to let him know that the scars were a part of him, a part that told her what a dedicated and caring man he was.

He put a hand over hers, stopping her. "JJ…" he murmured, pleading with her.

"Aaron," she replied, gently, sweetly, hoping to convey how much she cared for him in one utterance of his name.

It must have done the trick, because the next thing JJ knew was that he was looking at her with such adoration in his eyes that it made her feel ecstatic, but scared at the same time. JJ knew that they were on the edge of something wonderful. All they needed was one little push.

His hand moved away and she pulled the shirt over his head. The broad expanse of his bare chest was before her, scars and all. The nine jagged white marks were frightening because they were a testament to what he'd suffered in the past couple of years. One hand reached out to gingerly touch one scar, the uneven edges gave her goose-bumps. Her other hand reached out and touched another.

"JJ please," he whispered.

She looked up at his face, surprised to see that he was blurry, surprised by the tears in her eyes. His whispered plea, she could see, was for her to not cry for him. But, how could she not. He'd been so hurt. All she wanted to do was make him better.

She nodded her head, blinking away the tears. He was right, though. Tonight wasn't about pain it was about pleasure. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on top of one scar, eager to erase any trace of evil and leave him with memories to treasure.

The second her lips made contact, she felt him shiver. She looked up at him from beneath the fringe of her lashes, the look on his face told her the shiver was one of delight. Slowly, she made her way to another scar and gave it the same treatment as the first. One by one she trailed her lips across his chest until finally Hotch felt the need to return some of her TLC.

JJ's breath hitched when his fingers reached out for the buckle at her waist. Her gaze met his as his fingers made deft work of the button and zipper as well. The heated look in his eyes told her what was about to happen next. JJ lifted her hips to make the slipping off of the black jeans easier. And the black panties she'd been wearing easily followed.

She sat there before a shirtless Hotch in nothing but a black, lacy bra with Hotch kneeling between her bare legs.

Hotch gazed up at her hungrily before taking hold of one calf and pushing her leg to one side. He leaned forward and placed a kiss at the back of her knee. JJ held her breath as those magic making lips of his trailed a path of fire up along her inner thigh. When she felt the tip of his tongue touch her so intimately her breath exhaled in a whoosh as she gasped out at the sensual touch.

JJ's hands reached out to run through Hotch's hair, grasping it tightly as she held him in place wanting more of what he was doing but also wanting to feel him inside her.

"Hotch," she cried out, so close.

She tugged on him to come up, she needed to kiss him, she needed to feel him moving inside her. He came up as urged and they quickly divested each other of the rest of their clothes. JJ scooted back on the bed and Hotch followed her to lean over her. She reached for him, wanting to feel him; her hands went to either side of his face as she kissed him, hungrily, greedily. She pulled his body on top of hers and spread her legs so that he could settle there.

With a push forward he entered her slowly, a delicious moment of friction that had her crying out his name. They rocked back and forth, meeting each other's thrusts eagerly. She felt Hotch's hand trail down their moving bodies. He grabbed hold of her leg and pulled it up so it wrapped around his waist. When he pushed into her this time, deeper, harder, JJ came undone. Gasping for breath she felt the delicious moment of release rush through her body. A few moments later, Hotch's cries told her he was there, too. And a moment later she felt him come hard.

They lay there, bodies entwined together, enjoying the aftermath of their spontaneous night, breath coming hard. Neither had words for what they just shared at the moment.

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><p>Well that's it for this one. One more chapter to go. Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you think!<p>

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and review the last chapter: **HansonFanGermany** _(thanks for the review; the credit for that line goes straight to Fanatical Writer.)_; **misalason; NtwilightprincessN; GraceKellyBardot; jekkah; deeda; canny-bairn; LoveforPenandDerek; Fanatical Writer** _(thanks again for letting me adopt this idea. I'm so glad you enjoyed the first chapter!);_ **newsyd; Melissa Larkin; and whimsical-one-ga.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hey all! Sorry for the long wait, I'm back at work, so unfortunately all my updates will be slow coming for a while now. Anyways, this is the final chapter of Connection. The M-rating continues into this one, just to be safe (though, it's probably more like a stronger T-rating). It's been fun writing this story. I just wanted to say thanks again to Fanatical Writer for letting me adopt her idea. :) Anyways… please let me know what you think. Thanks!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Criminal Minds.

**Chapter 3:**

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><p>JJ lay silently, head pressed to Hotch's bare chest, enjoying the peacefulness of the early morning, relishing in the feel of the rise and fall of his chest with every breath he took. She wasn't sure if he was awake yet, but she knew that he if he wasn't he soon would be awakened by the cracks of sunlight peaking around the curtains.<p>

Her hand absently ran up and down his side as she thought about their shared night. It was a night full of nothing but passion and a need to fulfill all their hidden desires and no words. They'd fallen asleep sometime after 3am; without a word Hotch had urged her to take position at his chest, answering her unasked question of whether she should stay the night or not. When he'd kissed the top of her head she found it really hard to stave off the tears of bliss that threatened to overwhelm her so suddenly.

There had been no time to think about what they were doing after it'd begun. Now, in the early am sunlight, she could think clearly about what they'd done and it put a smile on her face.

After months of sharing secret looks and coveting momentary touches she'd done what she'd been craving to do. She let out a chuckle at how thoroughly she'd done it, too.

"What's so funny?"

Surprised, she leaned up on an elbow to see that Hotch was very much awake. The smile that came to her face at just looking at him was brilliant. "Morning," she hummed in answer.

Hotch's fingers ran through her hair, urging her to meet him half way to kiss his smiling lips.

"Mmm…" she murmured when he pulled back, still lost in the sensation. Every single one of her nerve endings called out for him to touch her.

When she finally opened her eyes it was to see him watching her with a very pleased and lustful look in his eyes. As much as she wanted to take him up on that look, they'd spent the whole night not talking. JJ conceded that maybe it was time for some conversation.

His lips had already moved on to make contact with the skin of her collar bone. If she let it go on any further she knew she wouldn't be able to stop and the next thing she'd know they would have spent the whole day as one tangled mass. Definitely not a bad way to spend a Saturday, but she knew they had things that needed discussing.

"Hotch," she breathed out, breath already coming out in short spurts as his fingers tickled up along the inside of her thigh.

"Aaron," he mumbled, his lips closing around one already straining nipple.

She let out a moan as she tried to concentrate on the things that needed to be said. "W—What?" she stuttered.

He let go of her breast and instead trailed open mouthed kisses back up along her jaw. He leaned back briefly to shoot her a heated look. "I think after last night you can call me Aaron, now," he let her know humorously.

She gave him a grin. "Ok… Aaron," she said, his name feeling so right on her lips. He'd resumed touching her, and for a moment she let herself get lost in his roaming hands and lips.

"JJ…" he murmured from somewhere near her belly.

_Now, how'd he get down there?_ she mused, mind becoming a foggy haze.

"… You are breathtaking…"

He fluttered a handful of kisses there and she knew as they moved lower and lower where he was going next.

"Aaron," she managed to get out quickly. "Come up here."

He grinned, swiftly doing as told. His body pressed against hers, she could feel how much he wanted her. She really wasn't doing very well with this talking business.

JJ looked into his dark eyes, seeing his lust there, but also seeing something much deeper. He really did care for her. Her hand went up to cup his cheek; she rubbed her thumb across his skin, feeling the prickliness of his beard's morning growth. She cared for him so much.

"I want you, Aaron," she whispered, letting her thumb trace his full lower lip.

She gazed into his dark eyes willing him to get the double meaning. A flash of recognition passed through his eyes, she saw, and when he said his next words, 'I want you, too" she knew they had a deeper meaning, too.

This time when they kissed it was her that initiated it. She gave a mental shrug. _What was one more time? They could really talk later…_

* * *

><p>"We need to get up," JJ suggested from at his side.<p>

Hotch could hear JJ breathing heavily, attempting to recover from their activities from a moment ago. He groaned out loud. He was exhausted. _She'd tired him out and now she was suggesting they get up? She was evil,_ he thought happily.

JJ sat up, pulling the covers up around her. "Come on, you're just hungry," she mused.

He gave her a look as she watched him from over her shoulder, amused. He tried to reach for her. "Yeah, for you," he said earnestly.

Now that he'd had her he'd found that his appetite for her body was unsurprisingly insatiable.

She laughed, moving a tad more out of his reach. "Aaron," she protested laughingly. "Come on, _I'm_ hungry."

He supposed it wouldn't do for her to stave. He needed her, he mused, gladly. Hotch moved to get out of bed; he hadn't felt like this in a while, energized, like all was right in the world and nothing could go wrong. He had her to thank for the reawakening.

Hotch looked over his shoulder to see she was slipping on her underwear. "What are you doing?" he wondered, pouting.

"Hotch, you can't expect me to walk around your house naked," she replied logically.

He nodded. "Yeah, I can. You're beautiful to look at," he said seriously.

He watched her shiver with desire. A second later, she was shaking her head. "If Jessica comes back with Jack it would be very awkward… Do you have a long t-shirt or something? I'd like to give my clothes a wash."

Sighing in resignation, he pointed at his dresser. "Top drawer."

JJ stood, made her way across the room and pulled out a white t-shirt. She slid it over her slender body and then turned to face him, a big smile on her face. "Now, while I try to find my shirt, why don't you go make us breakfast, er…" she glanced at the clock on the nightstand, "… lunch," she finished.

He stood up chuckling. He gave her a quick kiss and grabbed a t-shirt of his own. And then he headed for the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"JJ, you don't have to do that," Hotch protested from his spot on the couch. "I can clean it up later."<p>

JJ was standing in his kitchen cleaning up the little bit of mess they had made making lunch. At work, she was known for being super messy, but her messes never extended past Bureau walls. "Just, one last dish," she said as she ran the dish under the water for a rinse, and then placed it in the dishwasher. "Done!"

"Good, now come here," he ordered gently.

She gave him a smile before she walked around the kitchen island and into the adjoining family room. Hotch extended a hand for her and she took it. She giggled happily when he pulled her down into his lap, arms wrapping around her. He gave her a searing kiss, that could have went on forever. But both pulled back a minute later. They'd spent all day avoiding talking about things, now they knew that it was time.

JJ settled into his lap, back pressed against his chest, head settled at the crook of his neck. His arms were wrapped around her waist, so she took his hands in her own entwining their fingers together.

"So, what made you come over last night?" Hotch asked after a moment's silence.

She let out a sigh, "You gave me a handshake, Aaron," she said, tone incredulous. "After all we've been through… for God's sake you drove me to the hospital when I went into labor… I think _we_ deserved more than a handshake."

He chuckled. "So, you came over because you thought we deserved a hot and steamy night?"

She could tell he was joking, but she still gave his hand a light slap in irritation. "_No,_" she said, lengthening the short word for emphasis. "That was not planned…"

Silence again.

After a minute, it was Hotch who broke it. "But… I'm glad it happened."

She turned in his arms to see that he had a pleased smile on his face. She smiled back at him. "Me too."

He pulled her back down into his arms and wrapped her in an even tighter embrace; she savored the feeling of being encircled by him. She felt safe, protected. She never wanted to leave.

"Aaron," she began. "I came over because that handshake felt too much like a goodbye forever… I don't want to say goodbye to you."

"JJ," he said, voice surprisingly gentle. "I told you I would try to get you back, that wasn't just talk. I'm going to figure something out."

She shook her head. She wasn't just talking about the work side of their relationship. "It's not just work… I feel something for you, Aaron, a connection… don't you feel it too?"

Again she turned to face him when he let out a chuckle. She gave him a confused look. She didn't think this was anything to laugh at.

"Do you think last night would have happened if I didn't have feelings for you?" Hotch asked her, amused. "I've been waiting for this moment for a while, JJ."

"You have?" she asked unsurely.

"Yes," he said simply.

That one word sent a wave of happiness throughout her body. It was exactly what she wanted to hear.

"So," she asked slowly, her hand came up to cup his face. She just couldn't get enough of touching him. "What exactly are we going to do about this?"

"About you not working with us anymore or about the fact that I'm just realizing that I can't go a day without seeing you?" Hotch asked her happily.

She gave him a smile. "I think they're the same thing…"

He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. "Well… I'm going to do everything in my power to bring you back to us," he assured. "In the meantime, I think we need to have regular meetings everyday…"

"Oh," she said, a grin threatening to overtake her face, "And where exactly will these meetings take place?"

A mischievous smile overcame his features. "I don't see why my bedroom wouldn't continue to work…"

She laughed happily. He closed the distance between them kissing her lovingly. When they pulled back from the kiss it was to look into each other's eyes.

JJ could see how much he wanted this, how long he'd been waiting for it. She realized that he'd been waiting for her throughout her relationship with Will, and she wished now that she would have realized a long time ago that her and Will weren't meant to be. She'd lost so much time with Aaron. Six years now, that's how long she'd known him, and if she'd had a clue back when they'd met they would have been together for those six years.

_Oh well,_ she thought. _We've got the rest of our lives to make up for it._

She gave his lips a peck.

"JJ?" he murmured.

"I want this," she replied.

She didn't have to elaborate on what this was, she could tell he knew. "I want this, too," he assured her.

He pulled her back down for what was probably their hundredth kiss but definitely not their last.

* * *

><p>Well that's it for this chapter. I really hope you enjoyed. No promises, but I'm really thinking of a sequel to this story where it takes their story throughout the rest of the season 6 and maybe into season 7. If this idea appeals to you, let me know. I'll probably have to finish at least one more of my unfinished stories before I begin, though.<p>

Thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing: **Andi; deeda; darkness7eyes; Fanatical Writer; flashpenguin; canny-bairn; and jekkah **

Thanks again!


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